Hurricanes are the most expensive natural disasters in American history, with individual storms causing damages exceeding $100 billion. Coastal counties along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico bear the brunt of hurricane wind, storm surge, and flooding.
Using FEMA National Risk Index hurricane risk scores, we identified the 25 counties with the highest hurricane risk in America.
The 25 Counties with the Highest Hurricane Risk
Harris County, Texas faces the highest hurricane risk with a score of 100. These counties are most exposed to hurricanes:
| Rank | County | State | Hurricane Risk | Composite Risk | Flood Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harris County, Texas | TX | 100 | 99.9364 | 99.9682 |
| 2 | Miami-Dade County, Florida | FL | 99.9583 | 99.6183 | 99.7137 |
| 3 | Lee County, Florida | FL | 99.9166 | 99.0458 | 97.4 |
| 4 | Palm Beach County, Florida | FL | 99.8748 | 99.2048 | 98.9186 |
| 5 | Broward County, Florida | FL | 99.8331 | 99.4593 | 99.4275 |
| 6 | Jefferson Parish, Louisiana | LA | 99.7914 | 98.6641 | 95.9924 |
| 7 | Collier County, Florida | FL | 99.7497 | 98.9186 | 98.2506 |
| 8 | Brevard County, Florida | FL | 99.708 | 98.4097 | 95.0064 |
| 9 | Orleans Parish, Louisiana | LA | 99.6662 | 98.2506 | 93.5115 |
| 10 | Charleston County, South Carolina | SC | 99.6245 | 98.6323 | 99.8 |
| 11 | Horry County, South Carolina | SC | 99.5828 | 98.187 | 92.0165 |
| 12 | Sarasota County, Florida | FL | 99.5411 | 98.1552 | 95.6743 |
| 13 | Hidalgo County, Texas | TX | 99.4994 | 99.014 | 96.4377 |
| 14 | Beaufort County, South Carolina | SC | 99.4577 | 97.1056 | 94.2 |
| 15 | Mobile County, Alabama | AL | 99.4159 | 98.028 | 95.8969 |
| 16 | Chatham County, Georgia | GA | 99.3742 | 97.4237 | 96 |
| 17 | Manatee County, Florida | FL | 99.3325 | 97.5509 | 98 |
| 18 | Hillsborough County, Florida | FL | 99.2908 | 98.8232 | 97.7735 |
| 19 | Baldwin County, Alabama | AL | 99.2491 | 96.7239 | 92.2074 |
| 20 | St. Lucie County, Florida | FL | 99.2073 | 96.056 | 89.313 |
| 21 | Indian River County, Florida | FL | 99.1656 | 95.6425 | 85.8779 |
| 22 | New Hanover County, North Carolina | NC | 99.1239 | 96.1196 | 89.8855 |
| 23 | Brunswick County, North Carolina | NC | 99.0822 | 95.7697 | 89.4 |
| 24 | Cameron County, Texas | TX | 99.0405 | 97.2964 | 92.8117 |
| 25 | Charlotte County, Florida | FL | 98.9987 | 95.1972 | 90.4 |
Important
Hurricane damage requires separate wind and flood insurance coverage in many coastal states. Standard homeowner policies often exclude both. If you live in a high hurricane-risk county, review your policy carefully before hurricane season begins.
Methodology
Hurricane risk scores come from the FEMA National Risk Index (2020), measuring expected annual loss from hurricanes at the county level. Scores are percentile ranks on a 0-100 scale. Counties with zero hurricane risk are excluded. Counties are ranked by hurricane risk score in descending order.
Data source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI). Risk scores use percentile-rank methodology on a 0-100 scale. All figures are relative rankings and do not represent absolute predictions of natural disaster occurrence.